I just did a quick stock screen for high yields, drops in share price over 52 weeks, low P/B and moderate P/E ratios, and found that there are a lot of recognizable names trading at what, at first glance, appears very cheap prices.

3 groups I have owned before that are showing up among the "best values" are the following (in no particular order):

Gold MinersTankersRoyalty Trusts

There are a number of apparently "value-priced" names in each sector to choose from. No matter how poor the outlook for the group as a whole, each of these sectors will still be around for years.

If one were to pick 2 from each group and buy them soon (or after the market "sells in May,") one would have to ask ones' self:

Are these values or are these traps?

(I'm not personally looking to buy right now, because I'm still hoping there will be a -20% move on the S&P sometime between now and September/October so I can back up the truck.)

If one were to pick 2 from each group and buy them soon (or after the market "sells in May,") one would have to ask ones' self:

Are these values or are these traps?

Two issues are involved in answering your question: The first is, if you are buying a dollar's worth of assets for less than a dollar and the company is currently profitable and in a business where it is likely to remain profitable, then it doesn't really matter too much when Mr. Market decides to come around to the realization that this particular company is a bargain at current prices.

The second issue is whether or not the company is profitable enough to both fund the dividend and fund their CAPEX needs. I have found companies which are profitable but not profitable enough to pay both categories. Those companies are likely to be value traps.

Gold miners are selling at the extreme lows of the 2008-9 sell off, but one would have to buy with caution because not all mining jurisdictions are tax friendly or even property right friendly and not all managements are up to the task of managing a good business in a tough environment.

I recently bought shares in a few shipping companies, but later changed my mind about the viability of the business model in a low day-rate world created by a super glut in ship building, so I'm back out.

Royalty Trusts which pay a good-to-great dividend yield and do business in the safer aspects of the energy business (I personally like the pipeline space) can throw off enough revenue that one can more easily ignore the price fluctuations.